Shadow's of the Past
by Wintermoon1
Summary: How does a ledgend become a ledgend,are they born ledgends..this is the story of Jack Lantern a sluagh assassin set in the World of darkness.
1. Default Chapter

The small cottage wasn't the most exciteing nor was it richly done, but what it did have was love enough to make it beautiful. The thin boy leaned on the hoe as he worked in the back yard and hummed to himself,his dark hair was worn shoulder length and currently was framing his face because the long hat he wore over his head,he pushed his bangs from his eyes and glanced to where the child was,his son he thought proudly.   
  
A small child even as toddlers went, his mop of black hair was loose though his mother had tried to tame that wild hair before letting the little tike out,had only achieved mimimum sucess.The stright hair was already wind blown.  
  
"Dadda look" he yelled across the yard holding up his latest interest.A small fuzzy white rabbit who was looking up with large red eyes and it was trembleing.   
  
"Ah my son's latest victim " though Jack laughing softly to himself though what he said aloud was. "Rycroft your scareing it why don't you put it down and feed it a clover"   
  
Rycroft looked shocked and utterly dismayed he had hurt the bunny ,he kissed the fuzzy top of its head and set it down gently patting it.Searching through the flowers he found the ones his mother had taught him was good for bunnies.  
  
The bunny had only moved a little ways away its little nose going fast as it smelled the clover then nibbled on it catching tiny fingers as well,drawing a happy giggle from the little boy who's eyes a soft gold went wide.  
  
He looked to the house sad, his mother wasn't feeling good, she hadn't felt good in a long time.She had been ill last summer and it was still with her the acheing she often told daddy,but Rycroft was an intelligent little boy and he understood more then his adoreing parent would have thought.   
  
Jack went back to turning the dirt over,he was going to be sowing seeds soon and he wanted to make sure the ground was good for it before he did.A smile caught his lips as he gazed at the young girl in the house,she was no more then fourteen with a thick fall of the snowiest hair that fell unbound today as she gazed out the window at him,lifting it she called to him softly.   
  
"Tell Rycroft to bring the bunny and hisself in to tha house, time for his nap and I'll not be haveing him cranky at dinner" she said as she offered some fresh baked bread to the black haired teen.   
  
"Aye, I will Mlady" he said as he studied her,she was sore it was in the way she moved and her eyes were not as bright but her spirits seemed to be lifted brighter today then normal.   
  
"Rycroft you mum wants you in the house" he called across the yard and somehow the little boy heard his soft spoken father and a storm cloud passed across his face.   
  
"I wanna play with bunny!" he stated firmly dareing to defy his father and face the wrath he knew would come.The fuzzy little creature was just to enchanting to the child.  
  
"Rycroft Lantern you will obey your father" Jack said turning his orange gold eyes on his son and the little boy immediately was swayed by his father's look.   
  
"Aye,dadda" he called and predictiablely he picked up the bunny and came running as fast as little legs would carry him to his father's side.   
  
Jack ruffled the child's hair and Rycroft beamed up at his father and firmly latched onto a single leg hugging it tightly before he continued into the house to where his mother was,he was already immensely excited to show his beautiful mommy his newest fascination.   
  
Mlady Winter,was the daughter of the town's Lord and Jack was surprised that her father had willingly let her choose her own husband, true they had yet to wed,but her father said he would only grant his premission when Jack proved he could provide for both Mlady and Rycroft,though the child was given the protection of his father's name early on.  
  
She was also a bit younger then Jack about by five years but that hadn't mattered to him at the time, he had loved her since he saw her at the Village's May dance, and she had stolen his heart right there,with her soft pale white hair and her deep silver eyes,she looked like the snow queen easily enough.  
  
She had been five years old when Jack's parents had brought there reclusive ten year old to the villiage and he had been disinterested in everything, he did his chores and he sat alone by himself or playing his flute in the garden.   
  
However, when this bright little winter child inserted herself into his life,he opened towards her like a flower blooming, and she could bring a smile to his face with out even trying.  
  
Mlady had come with her father to the Emerald Isle when she was but a wee lass, he mother had died in the America's but Lord Harding, was always one to love all his children,and he had seven,Mlady was his eldest and only daughter.  
  
She had brought with her,her love of plants and things green and growing.Includeing the one thing Jack had a passion for growing ;pumpkins!  
  
Jack was so entranced with his Lady Winter, he just ignored others that flirted with him and thusly when he came of age for a wife,harsh words were spoken when his parents insisted that he marry.  
  
One girl in praticular a young woman name Courtney Merdon had taken quiet a fancy to the youth.Jack had constantly ingnored her advances and her attitude towards the younger girl that she figured out he fancied.   
  
For her part Mlady had always been a rather sweet girl,like her mother before her she was a child of nature and while she loved God she believed in the elements as well.Though this was kept from all but her closest friends.  
  
Cortney had tried to get her killed more then once,but by the luck of grace and god,Jack had managed to be there to save her, on praticularly harrowing experience came when Courtney had gotten her lost in a Bog by stealing Mlady's puppy and putting it out there.   
  
Jack mused that he was so lucky Mlady survived that long,he had found her day's later and returned her home a bit scratched up in desperate need of a bath and starveing but well,though the puppy he had not been able to save as well,he considered it a personal failure but Mlady never did.  
  
This endeared him to her father anyways, and it wasn't long before Mlady began to notice that Courtney was interested in her young man as she saw Jack,Jack had always been around her, her protector and her friend her best friend at that.  
  
By this time, Mlady had become quiet the beautiful teen, and she decided the best way to keep her Jack away from Courtney would be to seduce the lad, as her best friend a curvy wench at the local Pub,said if she could get him in her bed,he'd never want to get out, and gave her a love charm.   
  
What neither of them understood was that while Mlady was a witch her friend dabbled in magic as well,but didn't have the skill to be a true mage but her skill with love charms and magics was well known to those in other villiages.  
  
To Mlady's dismay and surprise Jack had refused her advances,kissed her good night and sent her into her home.Promiseing to see her tomarrow if she wished it.  
  
Upset that he had as she saw it spurned her ,to add to the young woman's confusion to spite him,Courtney told Mlady that she had slept with him and Jack's actions the night before seemed to condem him.  
  
She fled in tears,hideing herself away from the town telling no one she was going and takeing only a large bear fur and a few of her things she valued,she had felt as though she couldn't show her face in town so betrayed she was.  
  
It had only been when Jack went to call on her the next day that he discovered from Lord Harding that Mlady had left a note saying she was with him.This worried him and knowing that Mlady often spent time with Spring went to the Pub of the Golden Hare.  
  
The reception wasn't what he expected as he walked in and politely greeted Spring she scowled at him and tossed a mug of ale at him.He was hit in his shock,and promptly dodged a second in comeing ale mug.  
  
Seeing his surprised look,Spring had dragged him into the cloak closet despite the cat calls from the men in the pub. Jack figured he was going to be pummeled because Spring has sort of declared herself,Mlady one woman army.  
  
It was Jack who paled and then shook with anger when he learned what had happened with Courtney and Mlady,it all suddenly and painfully made sense to the youth,his actions and Courtney's words had marked him for a fool.  
  
Setting out with one of Spring's faithful hounds Jack went in search of his missing sweetheart. With the help of the hound and his own innate magics,Jack was able to find Mlady.  
  
Beneath the stars in a Field of Rye the two became lovers,Jack in his fear of looseing her,gave into the magics that had been eatting at him,and to cure any insecurities Mlady would have had about his dedication and intentions towards her.   
  
Thing had been peaceful for awhile, Jack had taken up carveing as a hobby and seemed to have quiet the creative streak when it came to createing object de art,he would sit in the Pub and work magic from the wood.  
  
It had been a late night when the pubs doors had opened and a tiny figure had come into the room, Jack had glanced up and was on his feet as quickly as his mind registered who it was. Mlady had come to the Pub dressed in her father's hood.  
  
She was pale when he caught her and led her over to the fire place to speak quietly,it had been in the light of the Pub's comforting fire that she had told him he was to be a father.   
  
Jack met that information with mixed feeling of elation and joy at being a father and dread and fear for her,she was not wed and her father wanted to make sure his only daughter would be provided for.  
  
Spring had looked sheepishly at the couple.Then informed them that her love charms had in the past been known to work as fertility tailsman's as well,seeing the look Spring blushed and excused herself leaveing the couple to themselves.She hated it when Jack gave her that look especially with those eyes.  
  
Lord Harding had indeed been unhappy with the whole mess, but understood that Mlady had always wanted to be with Jack,he had suspected that from early on and understood the sluagh's dedication to his daughter in return, the shrewd Lord had also suspected that it hadn't been the dark haired youth who had instigated that either,but to protect Mlady had taken blame for all of it.  
  
Lord Harding had gifted them with this cottage and the lands around it, as he understood Courtney would try to destroy Mlady,and deep down Lord Harding who was a Troll grump,felt that if the lass did something to his daughter he wouldn't be able to stay his own hand.  
  
Jack had taken his beloved and gone into the woods,Lord Harding hireing his mother on as a personal midwife to his family,both for Mlady ,Jack and his own boys who a few had wed and had children or were expecting as well.   
  
On a cold winter morning Jack had been awakened by Mlady,who was pale and scared stiff because her body was reacting so oddly she was hurting,Jack was so beside himself he could barely dress and he sent Clamore,the hound that had stayed with him for those years to fetch Spring to stay with Mlady as he was going to ride for his mother.  
  
Spring had hurried over to stay with her best friend, tending her as best as she could and takeing away the pains. It was too soon she had thought and feared for both mother and child but said nothing to worry her already concerned friend.  
  
Rycroft was born seven months in Mlady's pregnacy and both mother and child weren't doing well it has taken a full day for Mlady to birth the child,and she lost alot of blood, the child would have been lost if not for Sarah Lantern's considerable skill in midwifery.  
  
Jack spent those two days in hell,because despite his considerable powers he could do nothing to help his love or his child,what he could do he did which was stay by her bedside the whole night and the next day.   
  
He didn't even allow himself to sleep when Mlady fell into a exsausted slumber,instead he strightend the house and was finially commanded by his mother to seek rest.  
  
It had taken Milady months to heal and her small body to repair after child birth.Rycroft however was a sturdy little fellow after the first two weeks and rather vocal about his wants.  
  
Jack reflected on all of this as he followed his son into the cottage.Mlady was by the fireplace on a huge black bear fur with one of there many books, she was writeing again and Jack hid his smile, it was unseemly for a lady to read and write yet Milady flaunted it,writeing and illustrateing her own storys as well as there family tree and history as well.   
  
"It's your nap time,Rycroft" Mlady said as she patted the fur beside her,her son was delighted to sleep anywhere but in his room and came across the fur with bunny in arms.  
  
"Look!" he declared as he held it out to his mother."Isn't it pretty?" he demanded in his soft clear little voice."Can I keep it ?" the question both his parents knew was comeing next.   
  
Jack leaned down and looked at the rabbit then back to his son and shook his head no. "I don't think we should take the bunny from his family, well let him live in the back yard ,if he likes us he'll come back and you can feed him,prehaps he will stay around eh lad?" he asked softly and though his little face scrunched up in thought Rycroft finally nodded.   
  
"Okay daddy" he said takeing the bunny carefully from his mother and getting up going to there back door,he opened it and sent the bunny out."Go on your family probly wants you to take a nap to" the couple heard,then the door shut and there wee one returned to the fur to look at his parents. "I know I need a nap" he said solemnly laying down he snuggled into the fur, and soon his breathing was even and he was asleep.  
  
Mlady chuckled behind a hand and looked to Jack curiously. "You comeing in ta the house now?" she asked softly as she glanced out the window to the turned soil,he worked quickly.  
  
"I think prehaps...I need a nap Milady,and that you do as well" he said softly."I can tell when your in pain and I think some rest would do you some good." he said softly.  
  
Mlady blushed and nodded "You figured it out eh?" she asked as she rested across the fur near Rycroft."I worked a bit of magic to ease that ache" she whispered as he leaned over and affectionately kissed an ear.   
  
"I'm going to wash up " he said motioning to his dirty clothing."I also think I should be changeing clothing ,so I don't get you dirty." the lanky youth disappeared out the back to where the pond was.  
  
By the time he came back,clean and freshly changed Mlady and his son were curled up together,it was then that he saw how clearly opposite he and his lady were.  
  
A tossle of white hair was across the black bear fur,her skin wasn't tan she couldn't hold one too well,instead she looked like the moon had gently kissed her flesh and her eyes were so very light even when passionate, compared to his own lightly tan skin and dark hair, his eyes had always marked him as strange and as he thought about it he sighed,it was a trait his son would share, but Rycroft was likely to punch the lights out of anyone who said anything to him,he had his mother's spirited nature.  
  
Jack himself settled down into the furs with lover and child,his life was so peaceful if he had been told by anyone that his peacefulness would be shattered in mere months,Jack would have thought the idea silly little did he know what web fate was spinning and well out of his control. 


	2. A Wish So Foul

Occ: With special thanks to Steph for his insight into villians for me.   
  
Time had passed as it was known to do,it didn't wait for anyone and Jack chuckled softly as he looked at his little boy, Rycroft had hardly grown since spring, but was currently merrily tossing colorful leaves into the air and watching the red,golds and orange leaves spiral back to earth and around him with little happy squeals as they landed on him.  
  
Jack held a praticularly large pumpkin in his hands and glanceing in the direction of his son he chuckled and hunching down rolled it towards him, it had quiet the opposite effect then he had planned,when it rolled right into the distracted little boy almost bowling him over,Jack was soon on the move to rescue his son from the pumpkin, yet for Rycroft's part he squealed instead of moveing from it's way,he ran from it.  
  
Milady appeared at the door and glanced out it hearing her son squealing and her eyes went wide,that was a large pumpkin and it was about to bowl over Rycroft,glanceing about Milady knew she was going to suffer for this but that thing might hurt the small boy, her hands went out in front of her and she whispered words,she picked up and twig and whispering the final word broke it.   
  
Suddenly the pumpkin seemed to stop of its own accord,and exploded the hard shell gone and the goo inside splattered both Jack and the fleeing little boy,like the pumpkin they both stopped and looked at themselves.  
  
Rycroft's wool cloak settled about his form and he wrinkled his nose looking down at the pumpkin all over him,his lip pursed then one puckered out,then he looked to his father and giggled his intended tantrum forgotten in the glee of seeing his father.  
  
Jack stood there his tunic was a mess of pumpkin seed and insides.It was all over his pants and in his hair as well,his eyes yellow gold flared and he turned to look at Mlady his hands going to his hips as he did so.   
  
"Mlady did you have to do that ?" he demanded as he shook off some of the goo onto the ground.Then looked to his giggleing son and a hint of a smile dared to sneak onto his face.  
  
In the door she shrugged and smiled at him playfully,his anger died in that instant,Mlady had ,had enough to be unhappy about lately. She had miscarried that summer and it had depressed her greatly,she still looked under fed to him and tad bit tired,but the smile brightend her features.  
  
"Well it's not every day that pumpkin's attack small boy's" she said "and that one looked praticularly mean" she laughed stepping off the porch into the swirling wind that threatend of a snow early that year.  
  
Spring came up the path holding a pie in her hands."Mlady how goes it ?" she asked softly as she paused to look at Jack and Rycroft and there messy clothes."Jack your -" she didn't get to finish the comment.  
  
"If you say anything Spring I will personally sew your lips shut.." Jack hissed low and scowled at the other woman his eyes were dark and flashed as he spoke.  
  
Rycroft broke the tense moment by going "MMMMMM" as he peeled off some of the pumpkin insides off and stuck them in his mouth chewing on them.  
  
"Rycroft don't ye be eattin those" said Mlady as she scooped up her son into her arms,now shareing the mess that was on her son,on the simple pesant's blouse she wore and long skirt.   
  
"But there good Mommy, here,look want some " he offered her some of the insides that was still clenched in his hand.  
  
"That okay Croft.." she said softly as she looked to Jack and ran a finger over his sleeve. "Calm down you ,your a tad tight strung tonight" she soothed a little."Come into the cottage Spring we were planning the wedding for this summer and Jack doesn't want ta deal with the townsfolks.." she said.  
  
Spring nodded in sympathy with Jack,"I agree,I don't like the half of them"her strawberry hair falling around her as she tossed her head.  
  
Jack's arm went about Mlady's waist and he drew her to his side protectively.His lips brushing her's in a way of appology.There was something in the air, the pumpkin's seemed to strangely enough whisper to him as though trying to tell him something or warn him yet he could not think of what it could be and it disturbed him.  
  
His thoughts lost with the comfort of the fire and the bath that Mlady gave him and Rycroft, The clean clothes and the shared company of there friend Spring.  
  
================== =================================  
  
The riders were surely not gentlemen,they openly wore weapons and were dressed in leather armor and missed matched mail,rowdy to a fault as they sat around the table in the Pub,they stared at the form of the girl that approached them some makeing rather in appropriate comments to her.   
  
The girl seemed to ignore the comment and stared at a large grungy looking man with grease grey streaked hair," You are the leader I take it ?" she demanded softly haughtily,it was not hard to see she was of noble birth,she was the typical noble girl,well dressed manicured and full of herself.  
  
"Aye,I am so " the grungy one said leering at her as he stuffed another chunk of bread in his mouth.Causeing the girl to look revolted,she didn't want to deal with these ruffian's but then again no one else in the town would do anything against Lord Winter's little girl,she was out of sight out of mind to them.  
  
"Well, I want you to kill someone " she said with a nod as she drew herself up, her soft blonde hair fell in ringlets about her face and she reguarded the leader. "Someone who stole something that was rightfully mine from me!"   
  
The leader snorted and looked to her "I'm a messenger,lady not a killer" he said with another leering grin."but depending on what yer will to pay I might consider.."he said and with out blinking she dropped a pouch of coin on the table.  
  
One of the ruffin had been staring at her breasts and neck. he leered and patted his lap. "Come over her , Lass, and we will show you a good time."  
  
Shdup" said the leader looking intently at the young women."This is business" he hissed knocking the other man upside the head with the haunch of meat he had then promptly tearing off another bite.  
  
"So who took something from you ?" he asked as he stared at her keeping his eyes above cleavage level though his eyes wanted to wander."and where are they?"  
  
The other guests were oblivious to all of this. Those who were not insencable could not hear above the crowd in the corner singing to a bar song.A old man pounded out the melody to the drinking song on an out of key piano.  
  
"Well her name is Mlady" began the noble as she frowned as one of the other men shook his head "I ain't never killed no woman and don't want to do that.." he said,a small voiced agreement went up in the group.  
  
Courtney sneered and dropped a second bag onto the table "I don't think I made myself clear the first time this should completely make it apparent, I want her gone" she insisted.  
  
The leader, Kyle had been a bandit and murderer for years before he hooked up with his boys,it was an easy job and he knew the money was good, so it was some woman somewhere he didn't care,women children it didn't matter.  
  
The same man started to protesta again but Kyle spoke up "You got it,well do it" he said with a shrug."Where do I find this dead woman?"   
  
Rubbing his head where it had been hit earlier the ruffin grinned ad remarked. "On the other hand it could be fun...think of what we could do before."  
  
Courtney smirked she was use to getting her way and after her nemisis was gone she'd have her way completely.She rolled her eyes "She's in the woods in a cottage can't miss it,it has a huge pumpkin patch near the back,and call of you mutt here or I'll have him arrested." she said in disdain looking to the ruffian.  
  
"You are plottin' murder and you goin' to arrest me?" asked the ruffin. "What do you r care about how she gets dead.?"  
  
Kyle looked at the ruffin and the noblewomen, "Shut up" he said again and swung a huanch of met at him again.  
  
"Courtney Merdon doesn't lower herself to such trash,what we have is a business venture nothing more." she added as she pulled her hood back over her head and turned to disappear through the door she came in."She took my man and I intend to have him back " she said "and thats all you need know."  
  
The ruffin got up from the table and looked at kyle. "We have her gold. let's off her."he said annoyed at being put down so easily by a woman.His hand was on the battleaxe at his feet.  
  
"No." said Kyle.  
  
"Killing a noblewomen would raise a hue and cry especially near the tavern." he had killed enough people to know this and he for reasons he couldn't explain mildly respected the woman for going after what she wanted.  
  
The ruffin shook his head and sat down. "we should kill her. She is going to turn us in anyway."he sulked.  
  
"Somehow I don't think so " mused Kyle as he watched the noblewoman depart and disappear into the night as sneaky as any thief.  
  
Courtney looked up it would be a full moon by the end of the week and she would be able to celebrate the harvest with Jack like she was suppose to, the voice had told her so and she believed in them if anything they would not dare lie to her.  
  
Kyle looked to his group,"Get a good rest we leave in the morning." he barked as he stood and headed to the bar to pay for his food and his room for the night,his men were on there own,and they knew it.  
  
He had business to do tomarrow.  
  
===================== ==========================  
  
Jack stirred restless in his slumber and opened his eyes to look up at the ceiling,he had been drifting back and forth into sleep for hours.  
  
Winter was asleep in his arms her snowy hair strewn across his chest and the pillows,her form was bare in the moonlight save the warm blanket tossed over them both,she seemed to be able to rest,or prehaps she was just exsausted.  
  
The window was open and an errie sound was coming from the pumpkin patch again calling to him.Jack look down at the woman in his arms and decided that she was more important then some half imagined whispers.  
  
Jack pulled Mlady into his arms closer and she let out a soft little sound and snuggled the top of her head beneath his chin defiant of the movement.   
  
"shh sorry love" he whispered and she settled down,peaceful again though she did make sad little noises in her sleep that he soothed by lightly strokeing her back and shoulders,she had done that alot after she lost there second child.   
  
When Jack finally was gifted with slumber his dreams were jumbled,pumpkins,screaming and death none of it made sense to his logical mind but it chilled his soul.  
  
It was then that he was awaken by Mlady who was holding the sheet up to her chest stareing down at him rather wide eyed.  
  
"Whats wrong?" he asked as he sat up concerned for her.  
  
"You were crying in your sleep.." she remarked her eyes looked haunted as she said the words softly." I had dreamed you were crying."   
  
"It was probly a nightmare." Jack said softly his tone had gotten progressively whispery as he spoke."It could have been anything" he murmured running his fingers through his loves snowy hair.  
  
"I will be fine, but you,you look absolutely haunted would it help to speak on it?" he asked her.The silken white locks twirling around his fingers as he talked.   
  
"No,it was just jumbled dreams for me" Mlady said softly as she fought the fear in her stomach and offered a smile that didn't reach her eyes.  
  
"Your sure?"he pressed his own dreams he didn't recall.  
  
Mlady opened her mouth to say something,but it was drown out by the sounds of Rycroft calling sleepily for a cup of water from his room across from there's.  
  
"Hold on son,I will be right there" Jack called as he got up looking to Mlady "You go back to sleep little girl,I will be right back " he said kissing her lightly as he pulled on a long tunic and went to get his son a cup of water.  
  
Again as he looked out the window at his pumpkin patch,Jack felt something again a kinship but how was that? He shrugged again and silently wished his pumpkin's a good eve.  
  
The pumpkins vines swayed in the wind as though sadly.There secrets wouldn't be heard and couldn't be understood until it was too late, so they lay bathed in moonlight in silent lamenant. 


	3. The Pumpkin's Lamenant

Over that week Jack had found himself asleep in the pumpkin patch more then once,with Malady leaning over him and helping him back to bed. She never said anything to him because she figured he was sleep walking.   
  
Rycroft had been playing a bit furthur from home,but Jack could still see his child and that was all he was worried about as he went through the harvest, it was the night of the full moon and he felt ill at ease for some reason he wasn't sure just what it was.  
  
To make matters worse Milady had awoke sick and she hadn't wanted to stir from bed. He had tucked her in and gotten up himself, fixed a bowl of soup for himself and Rycroft and taken the playful little tike into the yard to play so he didn't disturb him mother,who would have sick or not gotten up to play with him.  
  
The little boy was busy chaseing bunnies,the bunny Jack had told him to let go had indeed returned and with all of his family as well it seemed.   
  
He had jokeingly suggested that they have rabbit stew and Mlady had damn near given him a concushion when she hit him.He had gotten the point the bunnies were pets not ediables.  
  
Jack had gone into the pumpkin patch to get a few of the pumpkins,he picked out two of the pumpkins that were perfect for what he wanted and the vines seemed pet him comfortingly.  
  
Taking them with him he went and gathered his son and setting on the front steps he showed him how to carve his first pumpkin,the face carved into a silly smile.  
  
"I don't like it I want one thats scary!" said Rycroft "With evil eyes, eyes that glow like yours daddy" he added as he ran tiny fingers still chubby across the pumpkin face.  
  
"Make him frighting!" his son said happily as he bounced up and down watching his daddy carve them.Jack didn't know weither to feel complimented or insulted by his sons words so he settled on bemused and shook his hair from his eyes laughing.  
  
"Evil it will be my boy" he said as he worked the face, the eyes slanted and the eyebrows arched evilly,the mouth was drawn back in a dark leer of prehaps anger, its nose was a dark hollow and the top was jaggedly cut.He ran a scar down the right side of the pumpkin face and held it at arms length,it gave him de ja vu.  
  
"OHHHH" the approveing squeal of his son was all he needed and he smiled and hugged the little boy.  
  
"Go ask your mum for a candle,if she's awake" Jack said softly as he stood to dispose of the pumpkin pieces,return it to the land. The voice of surpriseingly his father came back to him,a man he hadn't thought about in the six years he had been gone.  
  
Rycroft went tearing into the house and Jack shook his head, if Mlady wasn't up she would be soon enough.He heard his sons excited explination about what he was going to be doing with the candle and the insulted sound of his son's voice as he declared that no he would not burn down the forest with it, and besides daddy had sent him in there.  
  
A few minutes later he returned with his mother in tow and several candles.An orange one for the happy pumpkin and black for the scary one.  
  
Jack looked Mylady up and down "You feeling okay?" he asked as he wrapped both arms around her watching Rycroft put the candles in the pumpkin's carefully.   
  
"Just had nightmares is all" she answered softly and in the clipped tone of voice that said she didn't want to talk about it.Jack didn't press but looking back later he would wish that he had.  
  
"Back to work I go" he said "First I will light my pumpkin and tonight we will light yours" he promised his son who was happy just to play with the pumpkin and sat watching it as its eyes nose and mouth burst into light,but after a few hours the newness of that wore off and Rycroft was back out in the field playing with the bunnies.  
  
Jack was admist the pumpkins again, Mlady was with him this time though,she had rarely gone with him into the patch and he felt praticularly blessed by her presence in his garden.Her white hair a perfect contrase admist the orange green and black. It was like the presence of the moon at dusk.  
  
"Your troubled yet you won't speak to me, never has then been such a block between us,Snow Queen, and I dislike it immensely." he said softly as she leaned against a fence and leaned close to her trapping her against the fence half way, she reach up and put her arms around him and leaned into his lanky form, she had been feeding him for five year and he never seemed to gain weight.  
  
"It was nightmares about the lost child," she spoke low."He kept coming to me in dreams as though trying to warn me of something." she said softly."but what I can't say and Oh, Jack if I loose another one.." her words were low and her eyes filled with tears.  
  
Her words filled him with forbodeing and he shook his head lightly his arms went tighter around her waist and he held her, "Lets call it a night early and go to bed right after dinner this eve,we'll put Rycroft with us,it will be better tomarrow." he tried to sound reassureing but knew he failed.  
  
He silently led her through the patch back to the front of the patch where he usually worked and swept her up placed her on the fence there so he could finish he work before it got dark.   
  
Rycroft wondered what was wrong his parents looked sad, he picked a few quick wild flowers that still bloomed this late in season and took them to them. Handing them to both of them . "Here you can have my pretties but you have to cheer up!" he said with a nod of his head, and his actions did indeed bring a smile to both there faces.  
  
Nodding his head feeling his job done, Rycroft went back to chaseing his bunnies, his favorite was a black one and he often chased this one, and when it went off deeper into the woods,he cast a glance back to his parent who were happy and close,he figured he could grab Blackie and be right back before they would notice him gone.  
  
It was easy for Jack to loose himself in his snow maiden's arms and his son had instigated it this time,he had pushed his parents together and insisted that they trade flowers and that they should prehaps dance, they didn't do that enough.  
  
Jack scanned the bunnies for his son, all seven of the bunnies were there,no there were only six of them and missing was Blackie and his son.   
  
"Oh for the love of.." he mumbled and sat up."Mlady do you see Blackie around here, or for that matter Croft?" he asked as he placed a hand to his brow and glanced around.  
  
Mlady sat up and her eyes went across the landscape, nope nothing and she was chilled, that motherly sense went off and she was on her feet dressed in his shirt in her hurry to get out of the pumpkin patch and back into view of the field.  
  
Jack was quicker then her,and sprinted into the woods also,he didn't scream for his son because if he was in fact in trouble he would jerk in fear of being in more trouble and there was a chance he's hurt himself worse if he was indeed in trouble.  
  
Rycroft grabbed the bunnie and held it before it could squirm out of his arms and then blinked there were Horses,he heard hoof beats and he wanted to see the horse's Daddy had promised to teach him to ride when he could sit in the seat by himself, which would be next summer.   
  
He hurried along holding onto the rabbit tightly.  
  
  
========================= ===========================  
  
The riders had been looking for this place for sometime,somehow that had gotten turned around in the woods, it was difficult to keep track with so many tree's that looked the same.   
  
Kyle was in a foul and irritable mood, he wanted to do this and get it over with,he wanted to be in the next town by this time but no such luck.  
  
The shadows were growing deeper and Kyle hated this place, it was eerie and the sound of the wind whispering through the trees seemed to always be around him, telling him he imagined to turn back.  
  
His men didn't want to be here anyways and Greg had been on his neves all evening,he wanted to know if he could have the target before or after and Kyle had been tempted to shoot him in the head with his crossbow but he saved it,the ruffian wasn't worth an arrow.  
  
Jinx didn't want to do the job at all and as the shadows had grown deeper he said that the pumpkin smell was makeing him sick that they should just turn back, keep the money forget the noble woman and head out of town.  
  
Yet his men didn't know if he didn't kill he'd get worse and probly kill them in his anger.It wasn't something he enjoyed anymore it was something he had to do.  
  
Then the little boy with the rabbit appeared on the side of the road,a pretty little kid,if not prehaps a bit feminine. With the oddest eyes looking wide eyed at the horses.He was dressed nicely in a wool cloak and warm looking clothes beneath it.  
  
"Want a ride?" he asked looking down at the boy.  
  
"He sure is pretty." Greg said and this time Kyle did hit him bringing his horse just within range to crack him good.  
  
Jinx shook his head "Leave him alone, Kyle that little boy ,just leave him alone.." he spoke in a squeak in his nightmares that child had caused all there death's.  
  
Jinx had been given to visions and they had kicked him out of the mill he worked when he saw the death of some of the men and talked about it, falling on harder times he wound up with the ruffians and killers.  
  
Seeing the man who offered the ride hit the other man who was looking at him funny,Rycroft shook his head no, he didn't want a ride in fact he though he might want his mommy and daddy, that was definantly what he wanted.   
  
"Moommmmmyyyy,Daddddddyyyy " he howled as loud as his little lungs would let him and he backed up into a tree, the black bunnie slid from his arms and darted into the street under the hooves of the horses,"Blackie" screamed the little boy chaseing after the bunny.If Blackie got hurt his mommy and daddy would be sad.  
  
Mlady was the first to find the clearing only because she knew the way that the plants were,Jack was a better woodsman with out a doubt,he could track,but Mlady could tell the trampled plants from the others.  
  
She emerged into the clearing as well,looking for Rycroft and seeing the gathered men about the same time they saw her,"Hey thats her " Greg said with a grin that split his face she was a beautiful little thing, looked a bit young,but he didn't care.  
  
Kyle glanced at the snow haired girl and almost didn't do it,but Rycroft had recognized his mother and turned just as the hooves crashed down on him and Blackie.   
  
"Oh god oh god " chanted Jinx at the sound of bones breaking and he promptly leaned over his horse and lost his lunch.It was a sound that would stay with him the rest of his life no matter how short that may be.  
  
Seeing the horse's hoove come down Mlady couldn't even scream the sound caught in her throat and she went foward to him she was going to help him,she didn't even register the riders so great was her shock.  
  
Kyle looked at the girl and shrugged he fired the crossbow at her,she didn't move and it struck her deeply in the chest,narrowly missing her heart but still damageing,and Kyle kept his barbed as well.  
  
Greg leered and leaned over to retrieved the body, but felt a pain ripple through his body before he heard the shot,surprised he glanced over as Kyle put his smokeing pistol away,Jinx had been trying to help the girl.  
  
"Lets go " he said "Now"   
  
"What about her" Greg said disappointed but left the girl when Kyle started to reload. "all right" they spurred both of there horses on and into the night.   
  
Jack was ready to scream but the sound wouldn't emerge anyways and he was seeing the world so much odder now.The pumpkin in his hand he had no idea how he had gotten it. He looked to it as he squinted against the brightness.  
  
In fact he couldn't remember what had been going on only he had to go get his wife and his son was dead. These things he knew and he wept silently as he walked, but there was something else about Jack now a darkness that clung to him.  
  
The lantern was the only glow, and Jack found the clearing, the horses were gone,three broken bodies were in the road and one lay along side it.   
  
Jack knelt beside Mlady,she was badly wounded and the blood was dark. He couldn't remove that arrow or he'd kill her,he knew that,the only thing that kept the arrow from the heart shot intended was a simply locket,one he had given her when she was ten years old,she had placed inside a picture of him and Rycroft.  
  
He placed his cloak over her, and moved on to where his son was, he held the small body to him it was already limp,the hit had broken him,killed him instantly.   
  
"They won't be so luck" he whispered to the darkness.  
  
He quietly cried over his son,then turned his gaze to the man who had been shot,he still lived.His attention went there.  
  
Jack knelt over him,and peered down at him his eyes the same glowing orbs as the lantern beside him,"I will give you a chance for a swift death, who where they and where were they going ?" Jack whispered in a quiet hiss that came to Jinx.  
  
"Kyle and Greg, they are heading to the next town" Jinx rasped as he looked up without fear at the slinky shadow, thin against the full moon a true jack o lantern.  
  
The carveing knife came up, "and I will give this to you as well" he said as he closed his eyes "so I can go to god and maybe forgiven, Courtney Merdon hired them" he said and was peaceful as the knife came down, so sharp and quick the movement Jinx didn't feel it.  
  
"Thank you " Jack said as he turned to the street,tomarrow he would start his hunt, they would learn that Samhein was to be feared here, very soon.  
  
He gathered both his love and his child, looking down at the shattered body of the bunny it looked as though the creature had jumped into the hooves to save Rycroft the extra impact,and in a streak of compassion he picked the shattered bunnie up as well.  
  
There would be a place for the bunny as well in the family plot, it had done what it could.He took his family as shattered as it was back home.  
  
His mother came as did Spring who was in a rage, but Jack was coldly detached, he stayed with his wife, concerned she would die. If she did he feared he would loose his mind enough to return to that village and kill everyone.   
  
He buried both Blackie and Rycroft in the Pumpkin Patch,the two playmates could be together for all times that way."Take care of them father" he whispered as though looking at something out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Mlady wouldn't talk and didn't seem to see anything she was simply there. He held her,her body was with him but her spirit was gone it seemed. Another reason he decided for them to know his displeasure,and the pain he would inflict would be remembered."he swore softly.  
  
He promised her that the night she returned to him,sobbing in his arms.She said she had to get out had to go away, she was going to stay with her Aunt in the America's.Jack did the only thing he could do he let her go,again his tears fell and his rage grew but with that icy detachment that even his mother began to fear.  
  
Something new would stalk the night and on Samhein none the less he would complete his mission,little did he know that a new one would take the place of the old on, Jack o Lantern's ledgend was just beginning. 


	4. Vengance For The Fallen

The night passed and Jack sat quietly alone in his cottage watching out the window,he couldn't bear to go in the bedroom that was so empty without her.   
  
True to her word she had kissed him good bye and walked out of his life,he was twenty three years old,and he lost his love. She had been able to heal herself,she had tore at the ground wanting to dig up Rycroft ,and in his own folly he did it for her, she spent hours trying to revive him,her powers weren't strong enough.  
  
She had just lain there and he had tried to help her,he took her into there home and put her to bed, returned and buried his son again.He wasn't a priest but his father's teachings had stuck with him enough and Sean Lantern had made sure his boy learned.   
  
Jack gave Rycroft his final rites and wished him well and on his way, then he had returned to the house and his loves arms.She had almost desperately clung to him and he made love to her holding her until she slept,he had failed her, failed to protect her, failed his son as well,hell he even failed Blackie who's family missed him.  
  
He had thought Lord Harding would be angry with him but instead he hugged him and cried on him,it was sad to see,Jack some how knew that this was a troll and that the loss of his grandson had hurt him greatly,even more so his daughter whom was alive but wasn't really.  
  
Prehaps the most touching sight was when he went out at twilight and the bunnies had gathered at the little boy's gravesite as though to say a silent good by to the both there child and his own.  
  
He no longer looked like Jack as he had been,now pale exceedingly thin,his dark hair had been shorned off to just below his ears, and his clothing,were alot darker, normally the youth had worn a white cotten shirt long but tucked in and brown breeches with a green and brown vest,now he had changed.  
  
Black clothing trimmed in dark gold so golden it was orange,knee high boots laced up the sides with orange leather,his father's long black over coat with out the priest collar.Jack didn't need to wear make up,shadows already gathered around his face, the sluagh he was said vengence was his to take, a child had been harmed, the pumpkin patch was silent it had told him all it could last night and stood stoticly guarding the shell of his child.  
  
The sluagh leaned down and picked up the pumpkin he had carved for his son,he had promised to light it for him and that was what he did,he took the pumpkin with him.  
  
He knew the horseman would take longer to get, but there was one whom he could get.Oh and she would suffer, for all the fear she instilled in Mlady when she was an innocent and for the pain and loss she caused her as an adult.   
  
Into the city he slinked as silent as the shadows that now whispered in his mind and the shadows that gathered to offer comfort to one who could no longer find comfort.  
  
========================== =============================  
  
She brushed the ringlets out as she sat in front of the mirror,her eyes were a hard brown and she met them in her mirror she was angry,very angry the voices had lied to here,the full moon and Jack wasn't here.   
  
Why do you really want him the question floated through her mind,is it because you were always the prettiest until she came along,she never wanted for what you did and she was quiet and shy when around men not open and flirty,she however loved Jack since she saw him.   
  
Courtney paused and glanced out the window was there something out there? She didn't know but it didn't interest her,her father's hired men who watched out for the house since the horriable murder of Lord Harding Winter's grandson by highway men.  
  
She snuggled down into her expensive sheets and sighed as she looked at the ceiling if she had it to do over would she do it diffrent she asked herself and the answer was simple,yeah she would have rid herself of that simpering girl child early on.  
  
Befriend and berid of.  
  
"And I wonder when Courtney dies who will be there to say there good byes and who will miss her once she's gone,the bell tolls tonight for you." the voice was a low hiss and it came from the foot of her bed.  
  
Courntney sat stright up her brown eyes wide in the darkness normal sight couldn't penetrate."Who's there...I'll...scream" she said in a breathless whisper afraid as the shadows seemed to move of there own accord.  
  
"Before this night is over yes you will" came the soft whispered voice as a pumpkin flaired to like. The dark portents of its face didn't hold much faith for the frightend woman.  
  
"Jack?" she asked "Jack Lantern?"   
  
"One and the same " he answered the pumpkin showed his features shadowed even more then normal by the flickering candle light and the look on his face was one of utter coldness.  
  
"You came back to me " she said excitedly  
  
"No, I came back for you" he answered with a low hiss,his yellow orange eyes flickered more then the candle in his son's pumpkin.He saw that she miss understood his words or willingly did so which ever he didn't care.  
  
Concentrateing his magic,Jack opened a portal ,it formed in the corner, leaves and vines with tiny pumpkin's hanging from it, it was his own personal touch but just the same it was a frighting thing.   
  
"Come Courtney, let us speak you and I of past discretions and new ones to come" he said with a low growling hiss, and Courtney wanted desperately to resist but found herself getting out of bed on her own accord,because she had to,not because she wanted to.  
  
She was sobbing by the time Jack led her through the portal because she knew he wasn't really there to come back to her but rather to destroy her.   
  
Her screams echoed through the Marshes and Bogs as Jack leaned against a tree and smirked his job was done here, there was no death worse then one alone and afraid,then his heart iced over a little bit more and he turned and walked away the distinct splashes and crys of the doomed woman giveing him some satisfaction.  
  
The next morning all that was found was pumpkin leaves on the floor of Courtney's room, and a note written in a flowing illuminated script telling how Courtney had hired common thug's to attack Lord Harding's daughter signed by Courtney herself.  
  
Courtney's body was never found and everyone figured it was Jack,but he wasn't about to be asked or brought in. He was of course else where,no where to be found nor would he be seen again in that villiage for the better part of a century.  
  
================ ==============================  
  
"Do ye think ell fin us ?" Greg asked again for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes.Kyle looked ready to kill him, he should have kept Jinx he growled to himself annoyedly.  
  
Ahead of them in the road was a ...pumpkin.   
  
"He's here" screamed Greg as he looked ready to turn and flee into the night.His horse whined in fear and then threw his rider as he tried to man handle him.  
  
Kyle looked to the fallen thug and decided it was better to put distance between himself and Jack, Kyle was smart enough to know that it was the man from the house,he hadn't double checked to make sure that the woman was dead, but he had never though a common woodsman would become a frightful avenger.   
  
Screams filled the night sky and people in the villiage wondered if it was the voices of the damned raised in an unholy chorus, no one wanted to go out to find out.   
  
The next morning it was a frightful sight to see,body parts hungs from the tree's though the man that had lost them still lived barely, though not for long, he was quiet mad by that time.Screaming about pumpkins.  
  
Jack leaned against the tree he was perched in and smirked as he watched the people gather the man together for burial.This time nothing was found as a way of knowing who had killed the man,he was just another deceased thug.  
  
========================== =========================  
The dark haired man watched the door constantly as he sat in the Pub in a small villiage in Ireland, the place had been called the Golden Harp and he was beginning to regret ever haveing taken that job for the noble woman.   
  
He was so afraid he hadn't even killed in days,he knew a death would lead others to his location and Kyle didn't want that,god no, if he got caught the Pumpkin man would get him.   
  
Jack sat at the table in the corner and sipped his spiced cider, no one came near him no one wanted to the sluagh was in a mood and his cloaked form projected his wanting to be alone to the world.   
  
Even the bar maid who flirted with the men avoided him, she brought him drinks and then went away.He had coin to pay for it and he was finely dressed his clothing was expensive.  
  
Kyle kept glanceing about the room, his eyes even settled on the sluagh but Jack was content to sit and wait,he enjoyed the fear instilled in the man,it was he who's horse struck the killing blow and it was he whom would pay for his actions,but slowly very,very slowly.  
  
He moved over to the table as the man got more and more intoxicated."What da you want.?" he asked his hand going for the wide bladed knife in its sheath, and with a flick of finger, Kyle gasped unable to scream as the small throwing knife stuck into the hand pinning it to his leg.   
  
"I want you to run" he hissed low in his throat. He leaned his head back so the fire light played across his eyes and gazed to the man."I want you to know I am hunting you, that though you run, you live only because I allow it, and that I can find you at any given time and kill you at my leasuire, I want you to settle down,prehaps have a family so someday prehaps when your old and grey prehaps a year from now,pumpkins will begin to grow and you will know that I came for you.." he hissed "Now leave.."   
  
Jack settled down back into his seat and took out the long sharp carveing knife,he watched the door bang shut and heard the neighing of the horse and Kyle took off out of there at a break neck pace.   
  
"Be careful now " Jack murmured to no one in praticular "Don't go killing yourself save that job for me."  
  
The knife flashed in his hands as Jack worked the wood in his fingers it took form then became featured and soon in his hand after hours of the rise and fall of a knife was his son, holding a rabbit looking wide eyed and playful.  
  
As he continued to work the second piece of wood this one slender and willowy,with a cascade of white hair falling over shoulder, the face was sweetly innocent and looked thoughtful, tears actually filled his eyes as he caressed the wood of his love and child,he could not be with them,but he would never be apart from them.  
  
The two little wooden figures went into his pocket,always to be kept near him.  
  
=============================== ================================  
  
Ten years later Kyle looked out over the lands of his parents and sighed, His hair was completely white now and had been those ten years since he had come here.   
  
His father opened the door and entered banging his boots on the side on the porch. "Let me tell you Kyle boy, it's the darndest thing, yer mother says we got pumpkin's growing this year." he said chuckled and went into the kitchen not noticeing the look of fear that flashed across his son's face.  
  
The pumpkin patch there that year was huge, the children came to play in it and they said it was the prettiest patch in the country side. Though it was tempered with sadness for the elderly couple.  
  
Kyle had been found in the patch a look of horror set on his features as though something to horriable for words was seen.All they found was simple wooden pumpkin clutched in his hands,one that as his mother put it "Looked evil like it was stareing at you with hellfire in its eyes" she would say.  
  
Through the early Samhein morning flute music was heard prehaps a dirge prehaps just a good bye no one could be sure.Yet, it was noted that the bunnies were plentiful that year. 


End file.
